with his grace that was not due founde all men synners beyng hymself onely frée from synne and a deliuerer of synners And againe in a nother place he hath these words Opera manuum mearum non commendo Timeo enim ne cum inspexeris plura inuenias peccata quà m merita Lorde I commende not the workes of my handes For I am afraide least when thou shalt beholde them thou shalt finde mo synnes then good deseruynges So saith sainct Hierome Si consideremus nostra merita desperandum est If we beholde our owne merites we must be driuen to desperation Origene also affirmeth the same saiyng Ego vix mihi persuadeo vllum opus esse posse quod ex debito remunerationem deposcat I doe scarcely beleue that there can be any woorke that maie of duetie require rewarde Againe hee saieth Quia omniae conclusae sunt sub peccata nunc non in meritis sed in misericordia dei salus humana consistit For as much as all men are shut vp and cloased vnder sinne now the saluation of man standeth not in mans merites but in Gods mercie Barnarde saieth Non est quo gratia intret vbi iam meritum occupauit That is There is no meanes for grace to enter where merite doth keepe place VValdensis one of the Popes owne Doctours saieth these wordes Quid dignum facimus vt participes caelestibus fieri inuencamur Apostâ—lo dicenâ—e existimo quod non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam quae reuelabitur in nobis Reputo igitur saniorem Theologum fideliorem catholicam scripturis sanctis magis concordem qui â—alâ— meritum simpliciter abnegat That is to saie what worthy thing doe we that we may be faunde in the felowship of the heauenly spirites the Apostle saieth I iudge that the afflictions of this tyme are not worthy of that glorie that shal be reueiled in vs Therfore I take hym to be the souÌ„der deuine the faithfuller catholike and more agreable to the holy scriptures that vtterlie denieth all such kynde of merite These testimonies are plaine against all the meritmongers of Rome Louane Let vs take heede therefore of their daungerous and heriticall doctrine leaste while we go aboute to stablishe our owne righteousnesse beyng ignoraunt of the righteousnesse of God and haue not submitted our selues to the righteousnesse of god And thereby shall heape to our selues wrath in the daie of trouble For Christe saieth Saincte Paule is the ende of the Lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beléeueth The .xlj. Chapiter ¶ Faith onelie iustifieth vs before God. YET these Papistes and Iustiâ—iaries will saie stil that although we finde in holy scripture that faith iustifieth yet we fynde not quod soâ—â—fides iustificat that faith onely iustifieth so that this worde onely or alone hath been newly added by heretiques whoÌ„ they doe commonly call Solifidians These iooly felowes doe nothyng but seeke a knotte in a Rushe as the prouerbe is for although we haue not expressie this worde sola only or alone yet haue we many other wordes that are equiuolent or equiualent that is of the same importaunce and force For when the holy ghost saieth that we are iustified fréely by the grace of God through the redemption whiche is in Christe Iesu whom God hath set foorth to be a purchaser of mercie through faith in his blood doeth he not exclude al maner of workes deseruinges or merites from our iustification attributyng it onely vnto faith â–ª whereby we doe apprehende and take holde on the grace and mercie of God so surely fealed vp vnto vs with the blood of that immaculat lambe our Sauiour Iesu Christe in the selfe same Chapiter he saieth againe we conclude that a man is iustified by faithe without the workes of the lawe Who doeth not see that he doeth here also put awaie all maner of thinges from our iustification faith onely excepted But the Papistes in this pointe are like vnto the Arians which bicause those wordes â–ª â—omoâ—fias consubstantialis be not founde in the Scriptures will in no wise admitte nor alowe them although the thinges signified by them are moste infalliblie and certainely conteyned and set out in the booke of god And therfore the Apostle writyng to Titus saieth Not by the workes of righteousnes whiche we had doen but accordyng to his mercie he saued vs that wee beyng iustified by his grace should be made heires accordyng to the hope of eternall life Againe he saieth God hath saued vs and called vs with an holy callyng not accordyng to our workes but accordyng to his owne purpose grace which was geueÌ„ vnto vs through Iesus Christe afore the worlde was Truely whersoeuer this purpose of God is their woorkes merites and deseruinges can take no place in the iustification or saluatioÌ„ of man Whereby we may gather that by the frée mercie and goodnes of God apprehended and taken holde vpon by faith we are deliuered froÌ„ euerlastyng damnation and made felowe heyres with his sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour whose righteousnes he doth impute vnto vs making vâ—heires of his eternal euerlasting kingdome of heauen All these things I say and beleue do we obtaine only by faith without any merites goyng before Let vs see nowe what the holy learned Fathers of the Churche so many hundred yeres ago haue taught vs thereof Saint Ambrose saieth Iustificati sunâ— gratis quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt dono deâ— They are iustified freely bicause workyng nothyng nor making any recompence they are iustified through faith onely by the gifte of god Againe in the same place these be his wordes Sic decretum dicit à deo vt cessante lege solam fidem gratia dei posceret ad â—alutem This was Gods determination that the lawe beyng at an ende the grace of God shoulde require faith onely vnto saluation Againe Sola fides posita est ad salutem Onely faith is laide or appointed vnto saluation Theodoretus saieth Non vllis operibus nostris sed per solam fidem mystica bona consequuti sumuâ— â–ª Not by any workes of ours but by only faith we haue gotten the mistical good things S. Basile saith Haec est nostra integra perfecta gloriatio in deo quando propriae iustitiae nos inopes agnoscimus Sola autem fide in christum iustificati This is our ful perfect reioysing in God when we acknowledge that we are voyde of any our owne righteousnesse and are iustified by only faith in Christe Nazianzenus saieth Credere solum est iusticia Only beléeuyng is righteousnes Origene also saieth these wordes â–ª where nowe is thy boastyng it is shut out Paule saieth that the iustification of only faith is sufficient So that a man onely beleuyng may be iustified although he haue doen no good workes
crie and craue for mercie but no mercie shal be graunted them No lesse rigour doubtelesse shal be vsed against them if for a smale offence they wil be reueÌ„ged to the vttermost For as the scripture testifieth he that seketh vengeauÌ„ce shal finde vengeaunce of the Lorde who shall surely kepe vnto him his synnes Which thyng Christe our Sauiour teacheth vs by a a liuely parable or similitude when he bringeth in the kyng that doth call his 〈…〉 and accounte and vnto whom one was brought that did owe hym tenne thousande talenteâ— whiche he forgaue hym â—â—ite bicause that heâ— had besought him But this man was full of mischief would not shewe the like mercie vnto his felowe seruaunts that did owe hym but an hundred pence and therefore his lorde was angrie and deliuered hym vnto the Iailers tyll he had payde the vttermoste farthing Euen so shall my heauenly father do vnto you doeth our Sauiour Christe conclude excepte ye doe from the bottome of your heartes forgiue your brethren their trespasses The thirde sorte of people which shall receaue iudgement without mercie are the iusticiaries worke mongers which seeke to be saued and iustified by their owne workes and merites and which being ignoraunt of the righteousnesse of god doe go aboute to set vp their owne righteousnesse and so wyll in no wise be subiect to the righteousnesse that is auaileable before god They doubtelesse shal be called to a strayte rekcnyng and accounte For why all they that are suche doe remaine styll vnder the curse of the Lawe as sainct Paule wryteth saiyng As many as be of workes that is to say as manie as go aboute to be iustified by the workes of the lawe are vnder the curse For it is written Cursed be euery man that continueth not in all thynges that are written in the booke of the lawe to do them Beyng then vnder the curse and malediction of God bicause that thei did most vnthankefully refuse the mercifull meane that he had of his mere goodnesse appointed vnto them for to be iustified by they muste needes runne into euerlastyng condemnation Doth not the trueth hymself saie that though we did all that he commaundeth vs yet we are vnprofitable seruauntes But who in all the worlde is able to doe the tenth parte of that whiche God doeth require of vs and with that perfection as he will haue it to be doen not one man liuyng in the world What are we then but a thousande tymes worse then vnprofitable seruauntes They therfore that go aboute to be iustified by their owne beggerly workes and stincking righteousnes whiche before God is as the filthie cloutes of a menstruâ—us woman are most worthy to finde Christe whom they will make but a patched and an vnperfeate Sauiour a moste rigorous and extreme iudge whereas if mistrustyng our owne righteousnes merites and doynges we do flee and appeale to the onely mercie of God takyng a sure holde thereupon through faith in our sauiour Christe and saâ—yng vnfeinedly with Dauid and Iob O Lorde enter not into iudgement with thy seruauntes for in thy sight shall no man liuyng bee iustified If I would iustifie my selfe my owne mouth shall condemne mee if I would bee perfect he should iudge me wicked Lo though he slea me yâ—t wil I trust in him I wil reproue my waies in his sight it is so farre of that we ought to feare the daie of iudgement and commyng of our heauenly and eternall iudge or that those greuous sentences and saynges ought to be dreadfull vnto vs that rather our sauiour and iudge biddeth vs to looke vp and lifte vp our heades assuryng vs that then our saluation is at hande Yea that we might bee the more certaine of it he promiseth that al his commyng he will sende his Aungelles with a greate voice of a Trumpe and that thei shall gather together his chosen and predestinated children froÌ„ the foure windes and from the one ende of the worlde to the other Where soeuer wee shall be then I meane when our Sauiour and iudge shall come whether it bee in the bowelles of the earth or any where else here in this vale of miserie wee maie bee sure that wée shal bee gathered together vnto hym there for to receiue our full and perfecte saluation bothe in bodie and soule Let vs not therefore suffer our enemie Sathan to driue vs to any desperation by puttyng vs in remembraunce of the dreadfull daie of iudgemente But rather in the conflict and agonie of our consciences let vs haue alwaies before the eyes of our faithe besides the goodly and comfortable saiynges that haue been brought in alreadie that Christe shall not onely come as a iudge but as a moste benigne and mercifull sauiour of his people And therefore saincte Paule dooeth write that from heauen wee looke for a Sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christe who shall chaunge our vile bodies that thei maie bee fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie In the meane while lette vs take heede to our selues that our hartes bee not ouercome with surfettyng and drunkennesse leaste that daie dooe come vpon vs vnwares For it shall come as a snare on al them that sitte vpon the face of the earth Therefore wee haue neede to watche and praie that wee maie bee readie when he commeth and that wee maie stande before him hauyng and vsyng the weapons that fainct Paule ministereth vnto vs whiles wee are here warryng againste the fierie dartes of the deuill our enemie where he saieth Take vnto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to resist in the euill daie and hauyng finished all thinges stande faste and your loynes girde aboute with veritie and hauyng on the breaste plate of righteousnesse and your feete shodde with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all take the shield of faithe wherewith ye maie quench all the fierie dartes of the wicked And take the helmet of saluation and the sworde of the spirite whiche is the woorde of God and praie all waies with all maner of praier and supplication in the spirite and watche therevnto with all perseueraunce and supplication for all sainctes And in an other place he saieth Take heede therefore that ye walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeemyng the tyme For the daies are euill Be ye not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but bee ye fulfilled with the spirite speakyng vnto your selues in Psalmes Hymnes and Spirituall songes syngyng and makyng melodie to the lorde in your hartes By Psalmes he vndestandeth complaintes to God narrations and expostulations by Hymnes he properly conteineth thankes giuyng by songes he also conteineth praises and thaÌ„kes giuyng â–ª but not so largely and amply as Hymnes doe So now we are aliue if we stande faste in the lorde saieth saincte Paule and no damnation nor troubles nor yet the gates of hell
at all Hesichius also saieth The grace of God is giuen onely of mercie and fauour Et fide comprehenditur sola And is embraced and receiued by onely faith Saint Chrisostome saieth Illi dicebant qui sola â—ide nititur execrabilis est hic contrà demonstrat eum qui sola fide nititur benedictum esse They saide who so staied himselfe by only faith is accursed Contrariwise Saint Paul proueth that who so staieth hymselfe by onely faithe he is blessed Hierome also hath these wordes ignorantes speakyng of the Pharisies quod sola fide iustificat deus se ex operibus legis quam nunquam custodierunt iustos esse putantes They not knowing that God iustifieth onely by faith and supposyng themselues to be iuste by the workes of the lawe whiche they neuer obserued they would not submit themselues vnto the remission of synnes least thei should seeme to haue been synners Saint Hilarie hath these wordes in Mathewe and vppon this text Râ—mittuntur tibi peccata tua thy synnes are forgeuen thee and writeth on this maner Moâ—et scribas remissum ab homine peccatum hominem enim tantum in christo Iesu coÌ„tuebantur remissum ab eo quod lex laxare non poterat Fides enim sola iustificat That is to saie It moueth the Scribes that synne was forgiuen by man For they did onely beholde man in Christe Iesu and that to be forgeuen of hym whiche the lawe could not release For faith onely doth iustifie This is the herisie that we teache according to the holy scriptures and learned fathers of the catholique Churche But they obiect againe that good workes deserue bicause it shal be rewarded for saie they S. Iohn saith their workes folowe after them And Christe saieth to his disciples he that geueth a Cup of colde water to any of these little ones for my â—ake shall not loose his rewarde And sainct Paule saieth your worke shall not be in vaine in the Lorde Christ saieth againe Reioyce and be glad for your rewarde is greate in heauen and â—â— the Hebrewes it is saide God is not vnrighteous that hee shoulde forget our labour Wee graunt good woorkes haue their rewarde But the same rewarde standeth in mercie fauour and not in duetie Therefore we saie consideryng the weakenesse and synfull corruption of our nature there can be no works in vs so pure and perfect that we may therby of right and of duetie deserue euerlastyng life For God hath a kyngdome an inheritaunce for children and not a rewarde for bounde seruauntes and slaues Therfore Gregorie Nanzianzene saith if thou he a bound seruaunt or a â—laue then feare the whip If thou be a hirelyng then looke onely for thy rewarde but ouer and besides this if thou be a childe then reuerence God as thy father Doe well bicause it is good to obeie thy Father Yea and although thou shalt haue nothing els yet euen this shall be thy rewarde that thou hast been obedient to thy father Therfore we must saie saieth christ when we haue doen whatsoeuer I commaunde you saie ye we are vnprofitable seruauntes Hilarie to this purpose hath these wordes If we fast once saieth he we thinke we haue satisfied If out of the barnes of our householde store wée giue somewhat to the poore wee beleue we haue fulfilled the measure of righteousnesse But the Prophete hopeth all of God and trusteth of his mercie Sainct Basile also saieth He that trusteth not to his owne good deedes nor hopeth to bee iustified by his woorkes hath the onely hope of his saluation the mercies of god Augustine therefore saied verie well Qui diligit aliud preter te Minus diligit te O God he the lesse loueth thee that loueth any other thyng besides thee But before we declare how good déedes are rewarded Let vs see what good woorkes these are that the Papistes doe so muche talke of shall bee rewarded or that deserueth euerlastyng life Firste thei teache vnto the pleople that are ignoraunte to heare Masse euery daie deuoutely to lye prostratâ— before deade Images to mumble out a nomber of prayers vnto Sainctes to goe on Pilgrimages to builde vp Chaunteries and Churches and to cause Trentalles of Masses and Diriges and other trumperie to bee saied for the deade Item to giue largely of their substaunce and gooddes to idell Priestes Monkes Friers and Nonnes to giue money gold siluer and silke to make crosses chalices coapes vestementes and other like plaierly garmentes to furnishe out the stinckyng Masses to saie our Ladies Psalter to praie vpon Beades to vse obserue and kepe Pharisaicall fastynges with the Popishe idle holie daies and solempne feastes and to receiue holie breade holie water holie palme holie asshes and holie fire holie creame holie candelles and holie oile c. These are the good woorkes and beste woorkes that they haue set forth to bee doen of all people and who soeuer speaketh againste those woorkes they are taken for enemies to GOD and as rancke heretiques but all those good woorkes of the papistes are not required nor yet commaunded of God to bee dooen therefore thei dooe rather deserue the name of synne and of detestable abhomination before God then of good workes The true good woorkes are voide of all superstition thei are alligated or bounde neither to place nor to the persones nor to tyme for thei are as certaine fruites of our whole life testifiyng of the goodnesse of our harte and expressyng the nature of our heauenly father which not onely of the faithfull but of the very infidelles are rekened and taken for good workes and minister occasion vnto them to glorifie our father whiche is in heauen The workes of faithe workyng through Charitie and loue are good woorkes For GOD doeth worke them in vs and by vs them doeth our sauiour Christe set out saiyng I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I was thirstie and ye gaue me drincke I was naked and ye clothed me I was harbourlesse and ye harboured me I was sicke and in prison and ye visited me The Apostle also doeth sufficiently teache vs what be the good woorkes that God doeth require of vs but what should I alledge one or twoo textes sithe all the whole Scriptures do euerywhere exhort vs still vnto good workes what those good workes are S. Paul doeth declare when he saith We are the workmanship of god created in christ Iesu vnto those good workes that God hath prepared for vs to walke in If any man should aske me nowe what bee those good woorkes that he hath prepared for vs to walke in I would aunswere that all those woorkes that God doeth bidde and commaunde vs in his holie and sacred worde are those good workes that he hath prepared for vs for to walke in And those I saie and beleue ought onely to be called good workes and none other And therefore
if it be iudged mercie being taken away or set a side Barnarde also saieth what can al our righteousnes be before God shall it not accordyng to the prophete be counted as a filthy blooddy cloute And if it bee straightly iudged shall not all our righteousnes be founde vnrighteous and hauyng lesse then it ought to haue What shall then become of our synnes if our righteousnes can not aunswere by it selfe Therfore criyng earnestly with the prophete Enter not into iudgment O lorde with thy seruaunt for in thy sight no man liuyng shal be iustified let vs with all humilitie haue our recourse vnto mercie whiche alone is able to saue our soules What maner of merite is this whiche cannot abyde the censure of Gods iudgement nor be deliuered from condemnation but through mercie onlie Wherefore learne this what soeuer is attributed to workes that same is dooen by reason of faithe which is annexed vnto them Wherefore as in a wall we haue a consideration vnto the foundation and in the fruites of trees to the rootes so whatsoeuer séemeth at the first sight to be adscribed to woorkes is to be assigned to faithe as vnto the mother of al good workes For whensoeuer the scripture séemeth to attribute iustification either vnto hope or vnto charitie or vnto woorkes those places are so to bee vnderstanded that iustification is there taught not by the causes but by the effectes So saieth Augustine vpon the Psalmes Laudo super edificationem operis sed video fidei fundamentum Laudo fructum boni operis sed in fide agnosco radicem vbi fides non erat bonum opus non erat bonum opus enim intentio facit intentionem fides dirigit That is I praise the buildyng of good workes but I sée the foundation is of faith I praise the fruict of good workes but I acknowledge the roote in faithe Where faith is not good workes are not the intention maketh a good worke but yet faithe directeth that intention Let vs therfore rather to confesse our sinnes with the Publicane then to glory and boaste of our merites with the Pharisee Suche are our merites that the confession and acknowledgyng of our synnes ought to bee preferred before the numbryng of them to obtaine life For all our workes must be vtterly excluded and stande a parte that Grace maie appeare frée the Promise simple and that Faith maie stande alone For the lawe condemneth vs wordes doe not auaile vs but faith in Christe onely iustifieth vs For a man may make this argument which is inuincible All that we can doe with god is onely by Christe our workes and merites be not Christe Ergo our workes and merites can doe nothyng with god Therfore sith it is so cleare let vs acknowledge our sickenes which is synne let vs open it by repentaunce and flée by faith to Christe whiche is our onely phisicion and health of our soules let vs all by faith only make our profite of hym and not of our workes and merites For as Augustine speaketh of the woman that was taken in aduoutrie brought to him when her accusers were all gone he saieth Relicti sunt duo misera misericordia There are two left saith he mercie and miserie And therefore God pardoned her in his christ For Christ saieth to her Go synne no more as though Christ woulde saie saieth Augustine in the same place Deleui quod commisisti obserua quod precipi vt inuenias quod promisi That is I haue taken awaie thy synnes that thou hast committed doe and obserue that I commaunde thee that thou maiest finde that I haue promised thee Therefore I beléeue that Christe onely is the lambe of God that taketh awaie all our synnes Here maie one obiect and saie If God only forgeueth synnes what meaneth this that we reade Whose synnes soeuer ye forgeue they bee forgeuen them and whose synnes soeuer ye doe withholde they shal be withholden is it not plaine that not God onely but the Apostles also doe forgeue sinne I aunswere There bee thrée maner of powers to forgeue synnes The first is the same which belongeth vnto God onely for it is proued by the prophetes wordes I am he I am he my selfe whiche dâ—e wipe awaie thy wickednes for myne owne sake The seconde is the ministers when they declare gods grace to the penitent and that all their synnes are doen awaie only by Christe and contrariwise to preache and pronounce malediction and wrath vpon the vnrepentaunt therefore sainct Hierome saieth The Bishops or Priestes neither bindeth the innocente nor looseth the guiltie but accordyng to his office wheÌ„ he hath heard the diuersitie of synnes as in publique offences he knoweth who ought to bee bounde who ought to bee loosed Also Peter Lumbard saith God hath giueÌ„ to priestes power to bind to loose that is to say to declare vnto men that the penitents bee either bounde or loosed Sainct Augustine hath these wordes Wee speake in your eares but how knowe wee what is wrought in your hartes Howbeit what soeuer is wrought in you it is wrought not by vs but by god Hierome saieth It is not the sentence or absolution of the Prieste but the life of the penitente that is accepted before god So you see how the Churche forgiueth synners that is it pronounceth mercie vnto the repentaunt and wrath vnto the reprobate and vngodly as wee haue sufficiently declared before when wee intreated of the aucthoritie of the Churche And as for their auriculer confession it is a méere deuise and a Popishe lawe good for nothyng but to heape Goddes wrathe and displeasure vppon all the dooers thereof for their owne lawes condempneth their doctrine whiche they teache that we can not be forgiuen of our synnes vnlesse wee number them in a priestes eare for these are the woordes in their owne distinctions Saene dici potest quod sine confessione oris solutione poenae exterioris peccata delentur per contritionem humilitatem cordis That is we may safely say that without confession of the mouthe and absolution of the outwarde paine synnes bee forgiuen by the contrition and humilitie of the harte Againe Gratian saieth one of their owne champions Antequam sacerdoti ora nostra ostendamus id est peccatâ— nostra conâ—iteamur a lepta peccati mundamur â–ª Before we open our mouthe vnto the Priest that is to saie before we make confession of our synnes the leprosie of our synne is made cleane Sainct Chrisostome saieth Non dico vt confitearis conseruo tuo peccata tua dicito deo qui curet ea I will thee not to confesse thy synnes vnto the Prieste that is thy fellowe seruaunt Confesse them vnto God that maie heale them Againe Examine thy synnes in thy heart within thee lette this iudgement bee without witnesse let God onely see thee makyng thy confession The
life the fleshe auaileth nothyng The like phrase of speache he vseth of the water of baptisme and although Christe was but once crucified yet would Chrisostome haue vs to thynke that we see hym daiely whipped and scourged before our eyes and his body hangyng vppon the Crosse and the Speare thruste into his side and his blood to flowe out of his glorious side into our mouthes after which maner S. Paul saieth that Christe was painted and crucified before our eyes These phrases of speache Chrisostome vsed most of any aucthour And now to their seconde obiection out of Crisostome that the papistes make whiche is this Elias saieth he when he was taken vp into heauen dyd leaue his cloke behinde him but our sauiour Christ when he ascended vp into heauen dyd both cary vp his fleshe with him and did also leaue it here behinde him It is easy to be aunswered For as he did cary vp our fleshe so he did leaue his fleshe here behinde him whiche we are our selues For as S. Paul saieth We are members of his body of his fleshe of his bones And truely as it ought to be vnto vs a singuler comfort â–ª that the most infallible scripture doth certifie vs that we are meÌ„bers of his body fleshe of his flesh and bones of his bones so it ought to be vnto vs the greatest reioysing in the worlde that he is in our fleshe ascended vp into heauen And as for that they aleadge out of S. Iohn where he saith Except ye eate the fleshe of the son of man drinke his blood ye haue no life in you Againe my flesh is meate in deede my blood is drinke in déede Lyra their owne doctour shal aunswere this place them to where he saith Haec verba nihil directè pertineÌ„t ad sacramentaleÌ„ vel corporaleÌ„ manducationem Nam hoc verbuÌ„ dictum fuit antequà m SacrameÌ„tum Eucharistiae esset institutum Ex illa igitur litera de sacrameÌ„tali coÌ„munione non potest fieri argumentum efficax These wordes of Christ in the .vj. chapter of S. Iohn directly pertaine nothing to the sacrameÌ„tall or corporall eating For these wordes were spoken long before the sacrameÌ„t was ordeyned Therefore of this place there can be made no good sufficient argument touchyng the sacrameÌ„tall Communion Sainct Augustine saith vpon these words of of Iohn There must be declared saith he the maner how to discerne a proper speache from a figuratiue wherin must be obserued this rule that if the thyng whiche is spoken bee to the furtheraunce of charitie then it is a proper speache and no figure So that if it be a commaundement that forbiddeth any euill or wicked act or commaundeth any good or beneficiall thyng then it is no figure But if it commaunde any ill or wicked thyng or forbyd any thyng that is good or beneficiall then it is a figuratiue speache Now this saiyng of Christe Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his blood you shall haue no life in you seemeth to commaunde an hainous a wicked thyng therefore it is a figure commaundyng vs to bee partakers of Christes Passion keepyng in our mindes to our greate comforte and profite that his fleshe was crucified and wounded for vs The like he hath in other places Thus one that hath but halfe an eye may easily vnderstande and sée the grâ—sse opinion of our papistes ¶ The .xxiij. Chapter ¶ The godly in the olde lawe did eate and drinke the same fleshe and blood of Christ that we do nowe in the newe Testament OUR forefathers in the olde Testament did eate him as veryly and truely in their sacramentes as we do in ours to the eternall saluation of all their soules that dyd faythfully beléeue in the promised seede Iesus Christ. Therfore S. Paul sayd they dyd all eate of the same spirituall meate did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spiritual rocke that folowed them and the rocke was Christ So we may easily perceaue that they did eate the same meate that we do because the substaunce of theirs and our Sacramentes are all one So Sainct Augustine plainely affirmeth in these wordes Sacramenta illa fuerunt in signis diuersa in rebus quae significabantur paria Their Sacramentes were in outwarde tokens diuers but in the thynges tokened all one with ours Likewise Leo saieth Mysteria pro temporum ratione variata sunt quum fides qua viuimus nulla fuerit aetate diuersa The sacramentes are altered accordyng to the diuersitie of the times But the faith whereby we liue in all ages was euer one To conclude saint Augustine sheweth that their Sacramentes of the olde lawe were promises of suche thynges as should afterwardes be accomplished Our sacramentes of the newe Lawe are tokens that the same promises bee already accomplished The same Sainct Augustine in another place aunswereth to a certaine question as this Quomodo in coelum manum mittam vt ibi sedentem teneam He saieth Fidem mitte tenuisti How shall I reache my hande into heauen that I shall holde hym sittyng there Reache out thy faith and thou holdest hym Saincte Ambrose agreeyng hereto saieth Fide tangitur fide videtur non tangitur corpore non oculis comprehenditur He is touched by faith he is seen by faith he is not touched with body nor comprehended or seen with eyes Sainct Augustine saieth Habet fides oculos suos Faith hath her eyes and Barnarde saith Visio anime intellectus est The séeyng of the soule is vnderstandyng Therfore I am sure none wyll say that the fathers in the olde law did eate christ in their sacrameÌ„t butcherly as the papistes affirme yet you sée by these aucthorities that the substauÌ„ce of their sacraments ours are al one wherfore learne this lesson that Christ is in the bread figuratiuely he is in the faithfull worthy receauer spiritually and that he is in heauen corporally sittyng on the right hande of God his father to make dayly intercession for vs Let vs now lift vp the eyes of our faith into heauen and reioyce that our fleshe is ascended vp thither ¶ The .xxiiij. Chapter ¶ VVhat comfort we haue by Christes ascention into heauen WE are surely taught that by his ascendyng vp he hath opened heauen vnto vs which by Adams fall was shut vp vnto all fleshe and that sith â–ª hee is entered into Heauen with our fleshe as it were in our name or behalfe we do in a maner as S. Paul doeth testifie sit with him in the heaueÌ„ly seates being alreadie in full possession of heauen in him that is our head For we haue receaued it by faith possessed it by hope and are therein confirmed by holynesse of life Secondly we do beholde his diuine godly power wherein doth consist all our might vertue and strength and all our
also tréene vessels and earthen vessels and some to honour and some to dishonour Let vs geue diligence and labour as muche as it lieth in vs that we maie be a vessell of Golde or of syluer And truely this doctrine is moste necessarie to be marked and also to be folowed For as all the benefites that God doth of his méere mercie and goodnesse graunt vnto his Churche doe parteine vnto all bicause the Communion and felowship that is betwixt the members of Christes bodye So without this Communion and felowship of the sainctes there is no remission or forgeuenesse of sinnes but eternall and euerlasting condemnation For how coulde it be that they shoulde enioy the priuiledge of the true members of Christ that doe by a self willl deuide themselues from his body as the Papistes dooe now in these dayes Shoulde not that braunche deserue to be dried vp and to be caste into the fire that woulde wilfully deuide it selfe from the true vine The .xl. Chapiter ¶ Our offences and synnes are forgeuen vs by faith through Christe and not by our workes and merites ALso my beléefe is that in this church sinnes are freely forgeuen through faithe in the mercie of God obteined and purchased vnto vs by the merites of the death passion bloodsheddyng of our sauiour Iesu Christ wihout any of our owne deseruynges or merites or without any matter of satisfaction that we be able to make though wee were able to liue as long as euer any man did liue vpoÌ„ the earth For if any amendes coulde haue beene made for synnes or if any iustification could haue been gotten by the workes of the lawe Christ needed not to haue dyed And therefore the lorde saide right well I am he I am he that taketh awaie thy wickednesse and that for mine owne sake and thy sinnes wil I remember no more Here haue we a promise that God will put awaie our wickednesse and synnes not for our deseruinges or merites but for his owne sake that is to say of his frée mercie and goodnes as saieth sainct Paule Iustificamur gratis ex gratia ipsius Wee be iustified fréely of his grace Againe we iudge that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe And for this cause his only begotten sonne our sauiour was by the angell called Iesus bicause that he should saue his people from their synnes If our good workes merites and deseruinges could saue vs from our synnes why should they not be called by that name For there is none other name vnder heauen geuen vnto vs whereby we must or can be saued Therefore I doe thinke it moste conuenient and méete that we saie with Barnarde Mèritum meum miserationes domini Non sum ego inops meriti quam diuille non est inops miserationum Si miserationes eius multe multis ego sum in meritis Hoc totum est hominis meritum si totam spem suam ponat in domino That is to saie My merite is the mercie of god So long as god is not poore of mercy so long cannot I be poore of merites If his mercies be great then am I greate in merites This is the whole merite of man if he put his whole affiaunce and trust in the Lorde I marueile much of the papistes and meritmongers that are so bold to set vp their owne righteousnes and merites But before we seeme to speake any thyng to their obiections I thinke it best to declare in what signification this word to iustifie ought to be taken This worde iustificare to iustifie hath been of S. Paul borowed of the common vse of the lawe for in iudgement to iustifie a man it is to assoyle or quite him of the crime that is laide to his charge or that he is accused of and to pronounce him righteous iust innocent and guiltlesse After the same maner when we saie that God doeth iustifie vs our meanyng is that God doeth assoyle and quite vs of all crimes offences and trespasses that can bee layde to our charge or that we can be accused of that he doth pronounce vs iuste and righteous in his sight that is to saie that firste he doeth pardone and forgeue vs our synnes he couereth them and doeth in no wise impute them vnto vs but imputeth vnto vs righteousnes not our owne whiche is none at all but the righteousnes of his Sonne our Sauiour and so through his righteousnes doeth both saue vs and make vs blessed so doth the Apostle expounde this our iustification saiyng As Dauid doth set foorth the blessedfulnes of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes where he saieth Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couâ—red Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lorde imputeth no synne As for the places of sainct Iames where he saith Was not our father Abraham iustified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the aulter And a little after ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faithe onely It maketh little for their purpose if it be well considered We reade that Abraham beleeued the Lorde it was accompted vnto hym for righteousnesse whiche text is of Paule alledged after this sorte If Abraham were iustified by woorkes he hath wherein to reioyce or glorie but not with God for what saieth the Scripture Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse Whereby the Apostle proueth strongly that Abraham was iustified by faith But this that saincte Iames doeth speake of whiche is the offeryng of Isaac was doen thirtie yeres after that the scriptures did pronounce Abraham iustified or that his faithe was compted vnto hym for rigteousnesse Uerely sithe that fifteene yeres afore that Isaac was borne Abrahams faith was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse it was impossible that he should be iustified by the offryng of his sonne Isaac whiche was as I sayd before thirtie yeres after That that the Apostle goeth aboute here is onely to shewe that the faith which Abraham was iustified by was no idle or deade faithe but suche a faithe as made hym obedient vnto God as it is plainely set foorth to the Hebrewes Therefore if the circumstaunces bee considered there is no repugnaunce or coÌ„trarietie in the doctrine of the Apostles at all For what contrarietie or repugnaunce could there bee in their doctrine sithe that they were bothe led by one spirite Therefore we shall marke that the holie Apostle saincte Paule in his Epistle to the Romaines and to the Galathians did dispute and reason against them which did attribute iustification to workes But saincte Iames did write againste them which did vtterly contempne and despise good workes And therefore Paule sheweth the causes of our iustification Iames sheweth theffectes and fruites of the same Paul declareth how we are iustified Iames declareth how wee are knowen to bee iustified Paule excludeth
third is when any man forgiueth his brother which offendeth hym as Christ saieth If you doe forgiue vnto men your father shall forgiue you yours And saincte Paule saieth Forgiue one and other if any man haue a quarel to an other euen as Christe forgaue you euen so dooe ye But as concernyng that forgiuenesse of synnes whiche is necessarie to our saluation doeth depende onely vppon the grace mercie and loue of God without any our merites or worthinesse And that our synnes are clearely taken awaie by Christes death and passion and that he will cast them into the bottome of the Sea or els remoue them as farre from hym as the Easte is from the Weste and the Northe parte of the worlde from the Southe part of the same We must beleeue this without any doubtyng or waueryng tremblyng or fearyng mostâ— constantly and assuredly ¶ The .xlij. Chapiter ¶ It is no presumption to bee sure and certaine of our Saluation HEre the Papistes raue and saie wee are presumteous so to affirme the certaintie of grace and saluation for saie they Paule biddeth and counsaileth vs with feare and tremblyng to worke our saluation I aunswere This feare riseth in consideration of our owne weakenesse and vnworthinesse not of any distruste or doubte of Goddes mercie But rather the lesse cause we finde to trust in our selues the more cause we haue to truste in God. Now concernyng the assuraunce or certaintie of our saluation the scriptures are full Sainct Paule saieth There is no dampnation to them that be in Christe Iesu the spirite of God beareth witnesse to our spirite that we are the children of God I knowe that neither death nor life nor Angelles nor powers nor principalities nor thynges present nor thynges to come nor height nor deapth nor any creature els shall be able to remoue me from that loue that God beareth towardes me in Christ Iesu our Lorde Iob also saieth Although he kill me yet will I put my truste in him Notwithstandyng I will reproue my waies before his sight Againe he shall bee my saluation Againe I am sure that my redeemer liueth and he shall stande the last on the earth whom I my selfe shal sée and my eyes shall beholde and see God in my fleshe Dauid also saith In thée O Lorde haue I trusted I will neuer be confounded Tertulian saith Vt câ—rtum esset nos esse filiâ—s dei misit spiritum suum in corda nostra clamantem Abba pater That we might bee certified that we be the children of God he hath sent the holy ghoste into our hartes criyng Abba father Saincte Cyprian hath these wordes Et tu dubitas fluctuas Hoc est deum omnino non nâ—sse Hoc est Christum credentium magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere â–ª Hoc est in ecclesia constitutum fidem in domo fidei non habere And doest thou stagger and stande in doubte of thy Saluation that were as muche as not to knowe God That were as much as with the sinne of vnbeliefe to offend Christ the maister of beleuers That were as muche as beyng in the Churche in the house of faithe to haue no faith Prosper saith Securi diem iudicij expectant quibus in cruce domini gloriantibus muÌ„dus crucifixus est ipsi muâ—do Thei vnto whom the worlde is crucified and are crucified vnto the worlde waite for the daie of iudgemente without feare Saincte Augustine also saieth Praesume non de operatione tua sed de Christi gratia gratia enim saluati estis inquit Apostolus Non hic arrogantiae est sed fides Praedicare quod acceperis non est superbia sed deuotîo Presume thou not of thy owne workyng but of the grace of Christ for the Apostle saieth Ye are saued by grace Here therefore is not presumption but faithe To proclaime that thou hast receiued it is no pride it is deuotion Againe he saieth Non mea praesumtione sed ipsius promissione in iudicium non venio It is not of my presumption but of his promise that I shal not come into iudgemente Sainct Basile also saieth Paule boasteth and presumeth of the contempte of his owne righteousnesse Saincte Ambrose plainly saieth I will not glorie for that I am a iust man but for that I am redeemed therfore will I glorie Not for that I am voide of synne But for that my synnes bee forgiuen me I will not glorie for that I haue dooen good to any man nor for that any man hath dooen good vnto me but for that Christ is my aduocate with the father and for that Christes blood was shedde for me To ende sainct Barnarde saieth What safe reste or suretie can the weake soule finde but in the woundes of our sauiour As he is mightier to saue so dwel I there with safetie c. I haue committed a greate synne my conscience is troubled yet shall it not bee shaken downe because I will remember my Lordes woundes For he was wounded for our synnes This is our presumpteous doctrine that we teache agreyng to the scriptures and with the holie and auncient fathers of the catholike Churche But their whole Papisticall doctrine of truste in mens workes and merites leadeth directly to the goulfe of desperation and dampnation and therefore saincte Cyprian saied of them verie well and truely Asserunt noctem pro die interitum pro salute desperationem sub obtentu spei porfidiem sub praetextu fidei Antichristum sub vocabulo Christi That is thei teache vs night in steede of daie destruction in stéede of health desperation vnder the colour of hope Infidelitie vnder the pretence of faith Antichriste vnder the name of Christe The .xliij. Chapiter ¶ Of free will. AS touchyng frée will whiche is so much extolled of the Pelagian Papistes that wyll make vs to beleue that we are able to deserue and that we are of power and streÌ„gth as of our selues to fulfill kéepe the lawes of God to beleue and repent and so consequently to obtaine life and saluation I saie it is a most detestable heresie and robbyng of Christes power â–ª to whom all power is geuen and also abolishyng of his precious death merites and goodnes towardes vs and a robbing of God to geue to mans will that is onely the giftes of god As sainct Iames saith Euery good and pefecte gifte is from aboue and coÌ„meth downe from the father of light as it is manifest in all the whole Scriptures to be proued For if there were suche abilitie power and strength in vs and suche a libertie of wil as the papistes affirme Why doeth not all men beleue the ghospell call vpon God repent praie confesse their synnes doe good workes kéepe the lawe enter into life receiue Christ keepe them selues from euill thoughtes wordes workes synnes sickenesse troubles aduersities famine thirste pouertie and such like But the Scripture telleth vs another
holde his peace go out of the house or tarie within the doores to eate this or that meate to put on this or that garment c. Yea to synne or to abstaine from the grosse actes of synne as murther adulterie fornication false witnes bearing and such like c. Whiche notwithstandyng we muste confesse and acknowledge to be the giftes of god And here also the power of God is alwaie to bee marked whiche brought to passe that Balaam could not go thither whither he would neither Zacharie returnyng out of the Temple coulde speake as hee had a good will to doe Here are condemned in this behalfe the Manichies who denied that free will was to a good man the beginnyng of euill and also the Pelagians who affirme that an euill man hath fréewyll enough to keepe a good commaundement both these are reproued by the holy scriptures whiche saie against the Maniches God made man righteous and good againste the Pelagians If the sonne of God shall make you free you shall be frée in deede and againe without mee ye can do nothyng For â–ª man had lost those excellent benefites that the Lorde had geuen vnto hym at the first So that after his fall of a wise man he became a foole of a iuste man an vniuste of a righteous man a sinner of a true man a lyer of a perfect man in all thynges he became vnperfect of a free man he became a bondslaue of a liuyng man he became a dead man of a blessed and good man he became a cursed and a wicked hauing after that a will altogether wicked which neither coulde nor would agree vnto the will of God But wholy vnto the wyll of the deuill the world the fleshe and synne whiche of hymselfe can doe nothyng but wickednesse bicause it is altogether fleshly bounde and captiue solde vnder synne Beholde nowe gentle reader the free will or that I maie better saie the bounde will of man in the state of this present life All these doctrines considered well I will nowe drawe to an ende of this my simple iudgement with the saiyng of sainâ—â— Augustine the golden candle in gods catholique church where he saieth these wordes Quid tantum de naturae possibilitate praesumitur vulnerata saucia vexata perdita est Vera confessione non falsa defensione opus habet What doe men so muche presume of the possibilitie of nature It is wounded it is mangled it is troubled it is loste It behoueth vs rather truely to confesse it then falsely to defende it And in a nother place he saieth Tutiores viuimus si totum deo damus non autem nos illi ex parte nobis ex parte committimus We liue in more safetie if we geue all vnto God rather then if we commit our selues partely to our selues and partely to hym In the Counsaile holden at Miluente it was godly decreed touchyng this controuersie and matter If any man doth say saie they that the grace of God can bee geuen by humaine inuocation or mans calling vpon God And not that the grace of God it self doeth woorke or bryng to passe that God is called vpon of vs he doeth gainesaie Esai the Prophete or the Apostle speakyng the same I am founde of them that soughâ— me not and did appeare plainly vnto them that did not aske for me or after me What can bee more plainly spoken of the vnablenesse of man before he be regenerated or borne a new by the spirite of god And beyng renewed by the spirite of God he wyll giue them faith to beleeue hope to trust repentaunce of synnes amendement of life and a hatred to all iniquities and synnes that it shall not raigne in them nor haue dominion in theim so that their wickednesse shall neuer be imputed vnto them And all this will he dooe for his sonne Iesu Christes sake our onely mediatour and aduocate who came into this worlde to fulfill the whole Lawe for vs for he did fulfill it in deede we by imputation He by merite we by mercie he by workes we by grace Therefore wicked are they and voide of the spirite of God what soeuer they be that will seeme to extoll integra naturalia of man so farre as though it were in mans posse and esse to satisfie the whole law and suche are our lubberly Louanistes and rebellious Papistes whom God conuert or soone confounde for Iesus Christes sake ¶ The .xliiij. Chapiter ¶ Of the generall resurrection bothe of the godlie and wicked at the laste daie WHO at his laste commyng shall by his almightie power raise vp againe our vile and mortall bodies and make them conforme and like vnto his glorious bodie that is now in heauen on the right hande of the father Which after the meanyng of the scriptures and of the Articles of our faithe ought to bee vnderstanded after this maner That as the bodie of Christe whiche he tooke in the virgines wombe was by his almightie power raised vp againe immortall and glorious all infirmities that it was subiect vnto being cleane putte awaie and taken of So these mortall bodies of ours euen the same that wee tooke of the substaunce of our synfull and mortall mothers shall at the daie of the generall resurrection of all fleshe bee raised vp againe accordyng to the mightie working of the Lorde whereby he is of power to subdue all thynges vnto him selfe So that we maie boldely saie with Iob. We are sure that our redéemer liueth And that we shall rise out of the earth in the latter daie that we shal be clothed again with this skinne and see God in our fleshe yea that we our selues shal beholde hym not with other but with the self same eyes not with an other but with the same verie bodies whiche we caried from our mothers wombe with the self same bones whiche nowe wee haue yet neuerthelesse that transformed and â—haunged made of mortall immortall or incorruptible of vile and lothsome glorious as ye maie reade and proue by those Scriptures noted in the margine and many other places besides where these thynges are sette foorth so plainely that it were shame for any man to doubte of the matter And there doe wee learne also that as the righteous and faithfull shall rise againe vnto immortalitie glorie and honour So the vnrighteous and reprobate shall rise againe with their verie bodies vnto euerlastyng shame and bodie and soule shall goe into hell with the deuill and his Aungelles there to abide euerlastyngly and to bee tormented with hym in hell with fire whiche neuer shall be quenched where shall bee bitter weepyng and gnasshyng of teethe and shall be liuely touched with the worme whiche neuer dieth which is the seconde death As the glorious risyng againe of the righteous and faithfull is called life euerlastyng thereby to signifie vnto vs that we shall not bee raised